What Family Means
by cc4s
Summary: James is feeling neglected when his parents are talking of Albus going off to school for the first time, and Lily being their baby at home. Ginny comforts him. ONE-SHOT


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!1

A/N: So, this is just a quick little one-shot :) I hope you like it and please leave a review and let me know whether or not you did!

"Everybody all ready to go?" Harry Potter was in the process of rounding up his three children for their trip to King's Cross Station, and they would have to hurry up if they were going to make the eleven o'clock train that the two boys, James and Albus, would be boarding in order to reach their destination; Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It was Albus's first year and he was so filled with excitement he looked about to explode. The eleven-year-old had a firm handle on his trunk and he was getting slightly impatient with his siblings who always took longer than him in the morning.

"You're so lucky, Al! I wish I was old enough to go to Hogwarts," sighed Lily, the youngest as well as the only girl.

Albus beamed.

"Just two more years for you, Lily," Ginny, the children's mother and Harry's wife, chided. "Then you can go to Hogwarts too."

"Yes, but I've never been one for patience, now have I, Mum?"

Ginny laughed, "well, you'll just have to wait. I know the feeling though. I had to wait it out as six older brothers came back from Hogwarts with their tales of fun and adventure."

"You don't have to grow up too fast, Lils, we do need our baby girl at home sometimes," Harry added.

Ginny turned her attention to Albus, "and my little boy! He's so big! Oh, I can't believe you're already old enough for Hogwarts, Al!"

Al blushed as he returned the hug he was receiving from his mother tentatively.

The only one who had not spoken since he came downstairs, laden with his trunk and owl, was James.

The eldest of the Potter children seemed to be sinking into the shadows, which Ginny found strange, as he was usually the loudest of the group, having fun and making jokes. Teasing his siblings.

But today, James was doing none of that. To the contrary, he was dead silent, and Ginny though she even detected the glint of a tear in the corner of his bright brown eyes.

Ginny tapped him on the shoulder. "Come with me, James."

He obeyed, and, silently, she led him to the foot of the stairs where neither of the other children would be able to hear them.

"What's wrong, James? You're not yourself today."

James shrugged.

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "James Sirius Potter, I know you, and I know something's up with you. So you'd do well to tell me what that something is if you like your-"

"Alright." James cut his mother off. "Fine, Mum. You really wanna hear? Then I'll tell you."

Ginny motioned for him to go on.

"I feel like I'll be the forgotten child this year. Or every year. Who knows. What with Albus now at school, you and Dad'll feel like he's missing you so much and you'll be fretting about him being happy with his sorting and him making friends and Albus, Albus, Albus. Then there's Lily, and she'll be your little baby at home who will get or do whatever she wants; the one you just won't want to let go of. And what of me?" By now, James's voice had long since cracked and there were tears falling visibly down his face. "I'll be just James. Just your other child. The forgotten one. Or the trouble maker who is good for nothing but detention.

"That's not true!"

James ignored his mother, now calming down slightly. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Al and Lily more than anything. But . . ."

"Oh, Jamsie." Ginny wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Please don't ever think that. You've always been my baby boy, and you always will be. You're so important to us. Your father and I love you so much. We always will. Al and Lily too. We're family after all, and that's what family means. You know that don't you? Please know that."

James did not speak for a while. After a few moments, he whispered, "yeah. Yeah I know that."

And he did. That was just something he had had to get out of his system, and he was so grateful to his Mum for allowing him to do so.

Well, now all there was left to do on this fine morning of September 1st was to have some fun.

"Hey Al," he called, "I'm really thinking you might be in Slytherin."

And nothing says fun like having a laugh about your brother.

A/N: Thanks for reading this! Please leave a review!


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